An Inside Look at the GT40

February 2002
By
FRANK MARKUS

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Theodore is vice-president of North American Product Development, a Ford Skyliner owner, and a GT40 devotee known to doodle GT40s during dull moments in meetings. Theodore was running late, so we talked via cell phone, out of reach of our dictation recorder.

He outlined the mission of Ford's Living Legends studio as one of designing cars that celebrate Ford's heritage, and this is the third product in a series that started with the Thunderbird concept (and production car) and continued with last year's Forty-Nine show car. [We expect a new Mustang design to be the fourth in the series.] These concept and production cars are designed to bring the legends to life.

Theodore stresses that the GT40 is only a concept, but he reckons there very well may be a market for more than 100 or so cars per year like the GT40, priced around $100,000. He also confirmed that everyone involved with the GT40 project is passionate about it, and hence its prospects were unaltered by the recent departure of former CEO and fellow GT40 enthusiast Jac Nasser.

As concepts go, he confirmed, this one is designed with more attention paid to potential production. More feasibility and engineering synthesis have been conducted on this car than on the average show car.

If it were to go into production, it could easily be split: powertrain, chassis, and body, and any or all of the three could be produced in-house or with supplier participation. And as for timing? Theodore points out that the design will be as fresh in three to five years as it is today.

We discussed the concept of a $100,000 Ford, and Theodore pointed out that $80,000 Vipers weren't viewed as a problem for Dodge. The allure of a high-performance engine based on a mass-produced design and supported by a huge dealer network has a definite attraction.

From Theodore's office, it was out to the Dearborn proving ground, where our photographer was clicking away at the GT40. The designer, Camilo Pardo, met us there and walked us around the car.

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